Dar and Dor – BluePop/Off Course (Lowbit)


Lowbit are back with two progressive cutsย from new Israeli duo Dar and Dor, who arrive on the scene hotly tipped by none other than Khen.

โ€˜BluePopโ€™ arrives with an arresting stabs and drifting pads, leading to a rumbling bassline and building hooks. The trackโ€™s main strength is its lovely chiming melodies, which arenโ€™t revealed until a full four minutes in, but they interlock and unfold for most of the rest of the record.

โ€˜Off Courseโ€™ navigates similar waters, with two basslines establishing the groove underneath gently rippling melodies, which really take over during the lengthy breakdown. I found the second half of the track more appealing, with new melodies dancing over an uncompromisingly deep and hypnotic sound. However, I couldn’tย help but be rather frustrated by the long fade-out ending here, which I canโ€™t imagine any DJ will thank Dar and Dor for (this is an issue on โ€˜BluePopโ€™ too, though less so due to a better arrangement).

Listening to these two tracks, itโ€™s hard not to be reminded of early progressive house โ€“ I mean that early Renaissance-style sound, found onย records like Bedrockโ€™s โ€˜Set in Stoneโ€™. That comes with both pluses and minuses. Both tracksย can sound a tad dated at times, and neither has quite as much bite as I would have liked. On the plus side, the melodic ideas and arrangements are often really appealing, particularly on โ€˜BluePopโ€™. Itโ€™s early days for Dar and Dor yet, and thereโ€™s definitely lots of promise on show here, but personally speaking Iโ€™d like to hear them realise their ideas better by developing a more modern and distinctive sound. 7/10

Tags:
Share:

Related Post